Petr Yan Welcomes Sean O’Malley Rematch as He Expects ‘Suga’ to Root for Him Against Merab Dvalishvili
Sean O’Malley and Petr Yan have unfinished business of their own, but for now, their interests align. With Yan set to face Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333, ‘Suga’ is rooting for the Russian to get his hand raised. Yan, meanwhile, sees the support as extending beyond fight night.
Petr Yan Hopes Sean O’Malley Will Be Cheering for Him
During a conversation on the Full Send Podcast, host Shawn asked bantamweight champion Petr Yan about Sean O’Malley’s support ahead of his upcoming clash. He then posed an interesting question: would Yan expect ‘Suga’ to wear his merchandise to show his support? Yan welcomed the idea, admitting that it would be a really nice gesture from O’Malley.
“Of course, it would be great to see him in this T-shirt because he's, uh, he says that he's supporting us now, right? So, he's, he's, he's rooting for me,” said Petr Yan.
His comments came after Sean O’Malley, in a conversation on his YouTube channel, praised Yan as one of the deadliest fighters in the promotion and one of the best fighters he had ever faced.
“He is no goddamn joke. He's one of the scariest guys in the UFC. 100 percent. I'm pushing for him to win. I want him to win.”
Their mutual respect stems from a rivalry dating back to UFC 280 in October 2022, when Petr Yan and Sean O’Malley clashed in a three-round bantamweight showdown that still divides the MMA fanbase.
O’Malley walked away with a controversial split-decision victory, but many fans believed the Russian had done enough to earn the win. Yan showcased his wrestling prowess with six takedowns, while O’Malley countered with sharp striking and a strong third-round performance that ultimately helped him secure the judges’ nod.
Their rematch has been years in the making, and beating Merab Dvalishvili could bring Sean O’Malley one step closer to settling the score. ‘Suga’ believes the path to redemption runs through the Georgian, but does Petr Yan see it the same way?
‘No Mercy’ Believes a Rematch With Sean O’Malley Is Long Overdue
Petr Yan is already eyeing a potential rematch with Sean O’Malley for his next title defence in 2027, provided he gets past Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event of UFC 333. Yan suffered a controversial split-decision loss to O’Malley in 2022, and with ‘Suga’ fresh off a second-round knockout of Aiemann Zahabi at the UFC White House event in June, the former champion could be next in line for a shot at redemption.
“Why not?” Yan told MMA Fighting through an interpreter. “For real, we have history, so why wouldn’t that be the fight?”
O’Malley has bounced back with two straight wins since suffering consecutive title defeats to Merab Dvalishvili, including a decision victory over Song Yadong before his knockout of Zahabi. Before that setback, ‘Suga’ held an impressive 18-1 record, with bonus-winning triumphs over Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling.
Yan, however, said he’s “not necessarily impressed” by O’Malley’s recent performances in the cage.
“It’s just that he’s obviously winning,” Yan said. “He’s doing a great job. He’s moving forward, and he’s definitely proved that he is the next one, or one of the next ones who should be good to fight for the title, but it’s not that I’m watching it, and I’m impressed by it, just he’s on the right trajectory.”
While Petr Yan is open to the clash, he believes the UFC will ultimately decide whether the fight happens, leaving the final call in Dana White’s hands.
